Children who got on a mobile phone and made a purchase through the Amazon app without the approval of the person who was logged in to the app spent $70 million doing so, the Federal Trade Commission announced today.
Now, those app account users are possibly entitled to refunds.
"Amazon.com, Inc. has begun offering refunds to consumers for unauthorized in-app charges incurred by children," the FTC said in its announcement.
Purchases must have been made between November 2011 and May 2016.
Read the full FTC news release here
If you are an eligible consumer, you should have received an email from Amazon, the FTC said.
Consumers who believe they might be eligible can also go hereor log into their Amazon.com accounts and go to the Message Center to find information about requesting a refund. It is under "Important Messages."
The FTC announcement also says:
• Refund requests can be completed entirely online. Consumers do not need to call Amazon or send anything by mail to receive a refund. The deadline for submitting refund requests is May 28, 2018. Any questions about individual refunds should be directed to Amazon at 866-216-1072.
• Last month, the FTC and Amazon agreed to end their litigation related to the FTC’s case, which paved the way for the refund program to begin.
• The Federal Trade Commission works to promote competition, and protect and educate consumers. You can learn more about consumer topics and file a consumer complaint online or by calling 1-877-FTC-HELP (382-4357).
